Alberta honey producers fear U.S. tariff could cripple exports and prices
Beekeepers in Alberta are scrambling as a proposed 50% U.S. tariff on honey threatens their main market and could depress domestic prices.
Alberta’s honey industry, which accounts for roughly 40% of Canada’s output, faces a possible 50% tariff from the United States that would eliminate the current duty-free arrangement under CUSMA. With the Aug. 19 deadline approaching, beekeepers including Lorne Prins of Gull Lake Honey and Jeremy Olthof of Tees Bees are racing to ship product before the levy could take effect. The sector, which generated more than $241 million in 2025, typically sends about 70% of its honey to the U.S., and a tariff could cause a sharp drop in domestic prices and leave large quantities unsold.
Rod Scarlett of the Canadian Honey Council and Barbara McKenzie of the Alberta Beekeepers Commission warn of cascading effects on pollination and related crops. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada says existing programs such as AgriInvest and AgriStability could provide relief, while Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc says negotiations with the United States are ongoing.
Why it matters
A U.S. tariff on Canadian honey could disrupt a key agricultural export and affect food-pollination services across the Prairies.
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